Latest BT Computer Scam???

[Wozy68]

As this happened to anyone else?

Just spoke to my father, he had a problem with his BT Broadband kept losing connection on his PC, so rang BT technical, spent 1.5 hours on the phone to them , he gave them access to his PC, at the end of the conversation/faffing the guy on the other end of the phone told him to leave his PC switched on, and wait 10 minutes whilst new software was uploaded on to his PC from BT.

10 minutes later and low and behold a guy who says he's from BT calls him back and ask for access to his PC to see if the fault has been resolved and just to check everything is ok. Problem was he was not BT and his computer has now been hacked.

I knew nothing of this by the way until now. My dads 71 and not that savvy with PCs, saying that I'm not sure I'd have seen this one coming though if I'd just come off the phone from them.

Is this a well known scam? The only thing that he thought connected both fellas is that they had 'Indian' sounding voices.

I know of them ringing up out the blue, but not heard of this one before.

EDITED I'd thought they had asked him to reboot his PC and wait 10 minutes. That was incorrect and now the above has been corrected.

Edited by Wozy68 on Friday 29th August 16:34

[mrmr96]

Are you sure teh number he first called was legit?

[Morningside]

Bit puzzled here. You father rang BT and then a scammer happened to ring back?
So you are saying that he did NOT ring BT in the first place? If so, where did he get the number from?

[Wozy68]

Morningside said:

Bit puzzled here. You father rang BT and then a scammer happened to ring back?
So you are saying that he did NOT ring BT in the first place? If so, where did he get the number from?

He rang BT 151 and was put through to BT technical

[spitfire-ian]

Wozy68 said:

Problem was he was not BT and his computer has now been hacked.

In what way has it been hacked?

[Morningside]

Wozy68 said:

Morningside said:

Bit puzzled here. You father rang BT and then a scammer happened to ring back?
So you are saying that he did NOT ring BT in the first place? If so, where did he get the number from?

He rang BT 151 and was put through to BT technical

spitfire-ian said:

In what way has it been hacked?

Why would BT put the call through to a scammer?

[Wozy68]

spitfire-ian said:

Wozy68 said:

Problem was he was not BT and his computer has now been hacked.

In what way has it been hacked?

The PC starts up but when it comes to enter his password to load windows he can't type in anything. He's dropped it off at a local computer shop and they've informed him its been hacked.

Edited by Wozy68 on Friday 29th August 16:54

[spitfire-ian]

He's not done something un-related to the phone call and accidentally unplugged the keyboard has he?

BT do have diagnosis software which they always try to get you to install to diagnose an issue so I'm wondering if the download of software was that and the fact he can't type anything is unrelated.

Edited to add:

I typed my reply before you made your edit to say someone else has diagnosed it.

[Wozy68]

Morningside said:

Wozy68 said:

Morningside said:

Bit puzzled here. You father rang BT and then a scammer happened to ring back?
So you are saying that he did NOT ring BT in the first place? If so, where did he get the number from?

He rang BT 151 and was put through to BT technical

spitfire-ian said:

In what way has it been hacked?

Why would BT put the call through to a scammer?

It seems (but I'm only making an assumption) that somehow the original call to BT was passed on to the Scammer who then used that initial contact to call him back.

I'm open to other suggestions, as I just do not know.

[oldcynic]

Wozy68 said:

It seems (but I'm only making an assumption) that somehow the original call to BT was passed on to the Scammer who then used that initial contact to call him back.

I'm open to other suggestions, as I just do not know.

Sounds like it's worth raising with BT. They won't care about your dad, but they'll be worried about their profits if he's not the only one and word gets out they ignored such a blatant problem.

[Wozy68]

oldcynic said:

Wozy68 said:

It seems (but I'm only making an assumption) that somehow the original call to BT was passed on to the Scammer who then used that initial contact to call him back.

I'm open to other suggestions, as I just do not know.

Sounds like it's worth raising with BT. They won't care about your dad, but they'll be worried about their profits if he's not the only one and word gets out they ignored such a blatant problem.

I'm off out now so wont be able to respond till later, but this is what I think also.
A damn sod of a scam though, and easily thought legit by many if this is the case.

[supertouring]

But you only have the word of you local PC fixer that is has been hacked?

Very emotive and expensive word to use with someone who is computer illiterate?

Just wondering.

[Sheepshanks]

Wozy68 said:

It seems (but I'm only making an assumption) that somehow the original call to BT was passed on to the Scammer who then used that initial contact to call him back.

That's got to be at least feasible.

https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=scammers+at...

[Wozy68]

supertouring said:

But you only have the word of you local PC fixer that is has been hacked?

Very emotive and expensive word to use with someone who is computer illiterate?

Just wondering.

I hear what your saying but I don't think this is the case here as the fella is known to the family. Further I've just found it it's his laptop not his PC so it can't be a dodgy cable or anything.

[Wozy68]

Sheepshanks said:

Wozy68 said:

It seems (but I'm only making an assumption) that somehow the original call to BT was passed on to the Scammer who then used that initial contact to call him back.

That's got to be at least feasible.

https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=scammers+at...

Hmmm, interesting, thanks for the link.

[TheEnd]

supertouring said:

But you only have the word of you local PC fixer that is has been hacked?

Very emotive and expensive word to use with someone who is computer illiterate?

Just wondering.

I was just thinking that, I don't know any PC shops that would just say it's been hacked.
Not all IT professionals are professional, anyone could just google for the simple causes of a problem, and if it is too much, just wipe everything and reinstall, and that's indistinguishable to a customer.

[Wozy68]

TheEnd said:

supertouring said:

But you only have the word of you local PC fixer that is has been hacked?

Very emotive and expensive word to use with someone who is computer illiterate?

Just wondering.

I was just thinking that, I don't know any PC shops that would just say it's been hacked.
Not all IT professionals are professional, anyone could just google for the simple causes of a problem, and if it is too much, just wipe everything and reinstall, and that's indistinguishable to a customer.

It must be understood that I only found out about this today and am unsure went the laptop went in, but I'd assume this week. I really can't believe it's the case of trying to do me dad over.

[kowalski655]

Maybe a dodgy guy in the BT call centre passed details to a dodgy scammer mate,who then called. Worth maybe getting hold of BT customer services and have them check. Maybe the call was recorded and they can check if what he did was legit.

[Wozy68]

kowalski655 said:

Maybe a dodgy guy in the BT call centre passed details to a dodgy scammer mate,who then called. Worth maybe getting hold of BT customer services and have them check. Maybe the call was recorded and they can check if what he did was legit.

This is how I read it.

It seems reading the replies above this wasn't common knowledge. I think BT need to look into this.

[Chimune]

Wozy68 said:

Problem was he was not BT and his computer has now been hacked.

your whole story relies on these two facts. neither of which have been explained enough for my liking. add that the whole thing is being passed through a non it literate 71 yo, and i dont see a scam at all.